Safety razor



July 21, 1930. MUROS 2,048,020

SAFETY RAZOR- Filed May 18, 1932 2 Sheets-Shet l I71 062150 r Josey/1 77mm:

aw r2163 7 J. MUROS SAFETY RAZOR July 21, 1936.

Filed- May 18, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Illllfllfffffllli Inner/5'02 JOJfi/flil Will/7 0,5 b 7.

3 Winn 16 1 that they may be brought into interlocking en- I blade into cleaning position and also serves to lo- Patentecl July 21, 1936 SAFETY RAZOR Joseph Muros, Belmont, Mass., assignor to Gillette Safety Razor Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Application May 18,1932, Serial No. 612,039 18 Claims- (01.30-61) This invention relates to safety razors of the blade-engaging position. Means are also protype in which a flexible blade is shapedand revided for locking the cap and guard members in movably secured in a holder comprising cap and position of registration and for relatively moving uard members. them toward and from the blade to vary the pres- In one aspect, my invention consists in a novel sure thereon and thus regulate the extent of edge 5 holder so designed and constructed that all parts exposure. Novel mechanism is also provided for thereof are maintained in connected relation bringing about in the proper sequence a movewhen the razor is open and the blade released for ment between the cap and guard members of sepcleaning or for removal and replacement. This aration followed by a movement of lateral discontributes to the convenience of the user by placement in opening the razor and the reverse se-- 10 eliminating the danger of loss or misplacement of quence of steps in positioning the parts of the loose parts and the time which would otherwise be razor for shaving. consumed in bringing them into assembled rela- As a further feature of the invention, I have tion. The razor of my invention further provides provided means for locking the blade positively in a novel organization in which the blade may be its engaged, or connected position when the razor 15 exposed upon both faces for cleaning while mainis closed, and this means is arranged automatitained in connection with the holder. The concally to unlock the blade when the razor is opened, nection is designed to permit movement of the leaving the blade free to be detached if desired.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof selected for purposes of illustration and v shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. l is a plan view of the razor in closed condition;

Fig. 2 is a view in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a plan'view of the blade;

Fig. 4 is a view of the razor in end elevation, partly in section;

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a. view in perspective showing the razor open and a blade in process of being positioned therein;

Fig. 7 is apview in longitudinal section showing the razor in closed condition, on the line '!---1 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a similar view showing the cap partially separated from the guard;

cate it accurately for the proper edge exposure in the holder. To this end, an important feature of my invention consists in the combination with co operating, blade-shaping members adapted to engage a blade between, of a blade having a hinged connection at one end whereby it may be swung into fully exposed position when the blade-shaning members are separated and while they still remain connected in assembled relation.

My invention includes also within its scope a novel blade for safety razors characterized by a yielding,' or contractable section in which is included a hinge element. As herein shown, the blade is slotted through one end and transverselyextending hinge pintles areprovided in the yielding section thus formed. By applying a slight, lateral pressure to the blade, the yielding section may be contracted and the pintles drawn together so gagement with a co-operating hinge element in the holder. The blade described is thus adapted Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the cap fully not only for convenient engagement with and separated from the guard, anddisengagement from the holder, but is also located Fig. 10 is a View in perspective of the cap memaccurately in the holder by the same elements ber. which are utilized in establishing its connection The guard memb 15 provided With a flat,

. with the holder. blade-supporting face bounded by spaced paral- Other features of the invention relate more eslel shoulders l4 over which the blade may be pecially to the constructionof the cap and guard flexed. It is provided with guard teeth I2 along members, with a view 'to insuring their accurate both longitudinal edges, and from one end project location in blade-clamping position and their cona pair of perforated ears [6. The guard I 0 is venient movement into relative position in which slotted throughout one-half of this length, the

the blade is entirely released and made readily accessible tothe user for cleaning or replacement. As herein shown, the construction of the cap and guard members is such thatone is guided longitudinally upon the otherin its movement to and from slot l1 extending through the end of the guard that carries the ears I6. A tubular handle is permanently secured to the guard ID and this comprises a hollow head l8 and an elongated barrel 2!).

The cap member 22 is provided with a concave, blade-shaping face and with parallel edges which act to flex the blade upon the guard member. At

- each corner, the cap is provided with reenforcing lugs 24 which tend to preserve the cap against distortion in case it should be dropped by the user. The cap is provided with a flat shank piece 26 upon its concave surface. This is best shown in Figs. 7 to 10. It includes a longitudinally-extending plate or rib portion adapted to flt within the slot ll of the guard member and thus to position the cap accurately with respect to the guard. The shank 26 has also a stem portion having an inclined cam surface 28 in its front .edge and a' shoulder 38 in its rear edge. The lower end of the shank 26 is pivotally connected by a pin 36 to the upper end of a plunger 34 which is longitudinally movable within the barrel 26 of the handle. The plunger 34 is intemally threaded and arranged to be moved by a-screw 38 having a head 40 arranged to bear against the lower end of the handle barrel 20. The head 46 is provided with a grooved hub which is engaged with a transverse pin 42 set in the barrel 26. This acts positively to prevent longitudinal movement of the head 46 and its screw 38, while permitting free rotation of the latter to operate the plunger 34,'as already explained.-

A transverse guide pin 32 is set in the head I 8 of the handle in co-operative relation with the herein disclosed, is shown in Figs. 3 and 6. It is.

provided with a long, centrally-disposed slot 46 extending entirely through oneend of the blade.

In its general outline, the blade is provided with corner recesses adapted to receive and afford clearance for the ree'nforcing lugs 24 or the cap.

The unslotted end 48 of the blade constitutes a flexing hinge located entirely beyond the ends of the cutting edges of the blade. The slotted end of the blade is shaped so as to aflord two transversely-extending pintles or hook members'ill of the proper dimensions to flt the perforated ears I 6 of the guard. It will be understood that the blade is flexible and resilient, adapted to be flexed transversely between the cap and the guard and adapted also to be contracted at-its slotted end so that the-pintles 56'mayl be drawn together and passed between the perforated ears l6. It will be seen that the corner notches in the blade .deflne an elongated, centrally-disposed, unsharpened portion at each end of the blade. The 55 hinge pintles are formed in the slotted end of these unsharpened portions and this constitutes a contractable section of the blade. The slot 46' may be temporarily closed by a slight transverse pressure upon the slotted endof the blade and 60 when this is released, the blade will at once reassume its normalposition with the hinge pintles 50 occupying their spaced. relation in which they of the pin 36, occupying the position shown in Fig. 9, wherein the bladeereceiving face of the 70 guard member ID is .,fully exposed. with the razor in this position, the user inserts one of the pintles 63 or the blade into the perforation of one of the ears l6.- Then, by applying a slight transverse pressure to the blade, the pintles 58 are 75 contracted so that the blade may be ocked to ing and blade-clamping position has been seated upon the bottom edge of the slot carry the other pintle into registration with the perforation of the other ear l6. When this is done, a hinged connection'is established between the blade and the guard member, and the blade may be allowed to fall'upon the face of the guard 5 where it will be positively and accurately positioned with the proper edge exposure by reason of its hinged connection. The feature of locating a blade in a safety razor by a hinged connection at one end of the blade, in the manner just de- 10 scribed, is believed to be novel as already pointed out.

Having detachably connected the blade 44 to the razor, the cap may be'moved into blade-shapby turning the 15 head '48 in a clock-wise direction, thereby mov: ing the plunger 34 downwardly from its elevated position shown in Fig. 9. In this position, the shank 26 rests upon the bottom edge of the slot I] which extends, without interruption, through 20 one endof the guard l 8 and one wall of the hollow head 18 of the handle. When, therefore, the plunger 34 is moved positively downwardly by the rotation of the screw 38, the shank 26 is swung in a counter-clockwise direction and the 25 cap 22 is carried upwardly into a position above I the guardni'ember It. In this rocking movement, the curved lower edge of the shank swings in substantial contact with the cam pin 32 and in the continued descent of the plunger 34, the inclined cam surface 28 of the shank permits the shank to assume a substantially vertical position in line with the plunger 34. Fig. 8 represents the razor with its parts in these positions. Further depression of the plunger 34 moves the cap 22 35 vertically downward into blade-engaging position, andin this movement of the cap, the rear edge, of the shank is guided by the inner wall of the hollow head I 8'of the handle. When the cap is fully seated in its blade-engaging position, the 40 edges of the blade 44 have been flexed upon the fulcrum shoulders I4 01 the guard member, asshown in Fig. 5. The shoulder 38 of the shank which extends through the wall of the head I8 45 and the longitudinal plate portion of the shank 26 fills the slot I! in the guard so that both the guard and the head I8 present smooth, flush surfaces. In this flnal position, the cam pin 32 en-- gages an inclined shoulder in the upper portion of the shank so that the cap is locked rigidly in position between the pin and its shoulder 38 and is positively'located transversely by'the fltof its plate portion in the slot l1. 'I'he proper shaving 1 relation of the parts have thus been established and the razor is ready for use.

When it is desired'to clean or replace the blade, the head 40 is turned in the, opposite direction so that the plunger 34 is elevatedfrom the position shown in Fig. 7.

As the shank 26 is moved upwardly, the inclined cam surface 28 encounters the cam pin 32 at substantially thesame time that the connecting pin 36 approaches the lower edge of the slot in the head I8. The shank 26 is thus :swung positively toward the rear and finally when the-connecting pin 36 passes above the bottom of the slot, the cap is free to swing by gravity into the blade-releasing position shown in Fig.3. With the razor parts in this condition, the user may swing the blade upwardly from the surface of the guard into some such position as that shown in Fig. 9, where both sides of the blade are free to be flushed and wiped, or in case it is desired to remove the blade from the razor; the'hinge pintles may be disengaged by tempo- :5

I rarily contracting the blade in the manner already tion with its hinge pintles in engaging position with the hinge element of the guard. 'I'he blade,

therefore, can-only be disengaged from the holder when the cap 22 is swung rearwardly sufficiently to disengage its shank from the slot 46 of the blade.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is;- r

1. A safety razor comprising cap and guard members arranged to engage a flexible blade between them and having one element of a hinge connection thereon, a blade having a hinge element includinga contractible section, and means for positively holding said section in expanded condition while the cap and guard members are engaged with theblade.

2. A safety razor having a longitudinally slotted guard member, a cap having a shank movable in the slot of the guard, a pivotal connection between the cap and guard member, and means acting on said shank to swing the cap toward and from position upon the guard.

3. A safety razor having a longitudinally slotted guard member, a handle connected thereto, a cap having a shank arranged to extend into the slot of the guard member and being pivotally connected thereto, an operating member in the handle for moving the cap toward and from the guard, and mechanism acting upon the shank for displacing the cap transversely with respect to the guard when it is separated therefrom.

4. A safety razor having a guard member,-a handle associated therewith and provided with a slot in its upper end, a cap having a shank extending into the handle, an operating member movable longitudinally of the handle and having a pivotal connection with'said shank, and means for swinging the cap when the operating member is moved to position said pivotal connection adjacent of the end of said slot.

5. A safety razor having a guard and handle, a cap connected for vertical and longitudinal displacement with respect to the guard and an operating member in the handle movable with the cap to space the cap from the guard, means for looking the cap against longitudinal displacement with respect to the guard when in bladeengaging position, and means arranged to operate for displacing the cap longitudinally when spaced a predetermined distance from the guard.

6. A safety razor having a guard and handle, a cap shaped to co-operate with the guard to flex a blade therebetween, means within the handle for locking the cap and guard in superposed blade-flexing position, adjustable to vary the edge exposure of the blade, and means for moving the cap and guiding'it longitudinally of the guard into blade-releasing position after the cap has been unlocked.

7. A flexible blade for safety razors, having a cutting edge and slot parallel thereto and rendering the blade contractible at one end, and transversely-disposed hinge elements at said end of the blade.

8. A flexible blade for safety razors, having longitudinal cutting edges terminating in corner recesses which define projecting unsharpened portions at each end, the blade having a longitudinal slot of substantial width extending out through one of said unsharpened portions and hinge pintles therein extending at substantially right angles to said slot.

. 9. A safety razor comprising a pair of bladeclamping members, means for connecting said members for relative longitudinal movement about a transverse axis disposed equally distant from the ends thereof, one of said members having guard teeth thereon, means for detachably clamping the members upon a blade, and means for pivotally attaching the blade to one of said members.

10. A safety razor comprising cap and guard members arranged to engage a flexible blade between them and one of said members having hinge elements comprising ears projecting therefrom at one end and closed at their inner sides, in combination with a blade having a co-operating contractible hinge element, whereby the blade may be connected to said member and maintained in an oblique position with respect thereto.

11. A flexible blade for safety razors, having cutting edges, a section constructed and arranged to contract flatwise in the plane of the blade, and outwardly-directed hinge pintles in said contractible section.

12. A safety razor comprising cap and guard members, one having a longitudinal slot and the other a co-operating guide plate movable therein, handle operated mechanism effective to swing one member longitudinally with respect to the other, a hinge element on one element independent of the other, and a blade having a co-operating contractible hinge element.

13. A safety razor having a guard and a handle, a cap pivotally mounted to swing longitudinally with respect to the guard, mechanism carried by the handle and operating first to separate the cap and guard from each other and, then when thus separated, to swing the capabout its pivot to uncover the guard.

14. A safety razor having a guard and handle,-

acap pivotally mounted to swing longitudinally with respect to the guard about a pivot located below the guard, means for moving the cap and guard relatively toward and from each other in substantially parallel relation, and a cam for automatically swinging said cap into a position below the guard when the two have been moved to a position of predetermined spacing.

15. A safety razor having a guard and a handle, a cap located above the guard and having a downwardly extending arm, a transverse pivot beneath the guard supporting said arm and cap, operating mechanism carried by the handle .including threaded elements for positively moving the cap and guard toward and from each other to clamp or release an interposed blade, and supplementary mechanism, brought into action when said cap and guard have reached a predetermined degree of separation, forcausmg the cap to swing over one end of the guard and un-" cover the same.

16. A safety rajzor having a guard member and a handle, a cap. member pivotally mounted to swing longitudinally with respect to the guard member, mechanism carried by the handle and operating first to swing the cap member about its pivot to cover the guard member and then I to move one of said members toward the other of said members to clamp a blade therebetween;

a handle, a cap member pivotally mounted to swing longitudinally with respect to the guard -member about a pivot located below the guard member, a cam for swinging said cap member from a position below the guard member to a position above and substantially parallel to the guard member, and means-operable when said cap member has been swung to said parallel position to move said members relatively toward each other in substantially parallel relation to clamp a blade therebetween.

18. A safety razor having a guard member and a' handle, a. cap member normally located above the guard member and having a downwardly extending arm, a transverse pivot beneath the guard member supporting said arm and cap from a position below the guard member to a positionabove and substantially parallel to the guard member, and mechanism carried by the handle including a threaded element operable, 10

when said cap member has been swung tosaid parallel position, to positively move said members toward each other to clamp an interposed blade.

JOSEP H MUROS. 

